Bag.



W. H. SMlTH.

BAG.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 24. 1911.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

WILLIAM E. SMITH, OI NEWARK, NEW J'ERSEY..,

. BAG.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application flled may 24, 191?. Serial N o. 170,644.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Newark, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bags, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved hand bag-or satchel of the shape known as the English bag, in which type the upper flexible portion is inclined inwardly toward the top when the bag is closed and which opens the full width of the bag when the bag is opened.

In bags of this kind, after they are used awhile, the weight of the frame at the top and of the leather of the upper portion causes this top part to sag and when the bag is set down the top part collapses inwardly and the bag loses its shape and the leather becomes more likely to crack.

My invention relates toa bag of this kind in which the flexible top portion can not collapse and the bag holds its shape constantly even when empty. A bagembodying my invention may also be readily opened and closed. Bags ofthis type have been provided with corner posts extending from top to bottom and some have been provided with strips intermediate of the ends to hold the bag in shape but these are either so well braced that they make the bag hard to open or they are disposed to wear the leather of the bag in places to indicate where they are and to also shorten the life of the bag. Both of these kinds have the defect of materially increasing the weight of the bag, which is a very serious factor, as bags are usually cut down to a minimum weight to make them more salable.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which. Figure 1 is a side view of a bag made according to my invention. Fig. 2 1s an end view of the bag shown in Fig. 1, the bag being shown closed. .Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the bag open. Fig. 4 is a detai section.

In the bag shown the bottom part 10 is made of stiff material, usually thick leather, and this part of the bag is stiff enough to hold its shape. The top part 11 is made of flexible material, usually thin leather, this part 11 being easily folded, as shown at 12, so that the ends can be, easily folded when the bag is closed. This lightleather at the folded part 12, in the old form of bag, is"

expected to-hold up the upper portion 11 and the frame 13, usually of metal and made up of two hinged members 14 and 15, which with the handle 16 and the catches 17 are sufliciently heavy to cause the upper part to sag. The sagging quickly becomes established and the bag is never in shape except when it is perfectly new. To overcome this I place Wires 18, usually one in each corner, and which are stiff enough to hold the bag in position as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The wires 18 are resilient and are adapted to be curved when the bag is closed. The wires extend from the frame 13 downwardly preferably to substantially the top of the bottom portion 10. The side portions of the upper part of the bag extend outwardly and the end portions thereof have their margins also extendin outwardly and seamed thereto as by stitching 19 and 20. The wires 18 are placed in such outwardly projecting seam portions at the corners of the bag and are held in place by stitching 19 and 20, 'the stitching 19 being placed adjacent the corner 21 of the upper portion 11 so that the corner of two thicknesses forms a wearing edge to prevent excessive wear at the point where the wire is placed. The upper ends of the wires can be fastened to the frame members in any desired manner, but I prefer to fasten them by turning the end 22 to form an eye embracing one of the rivets used to fasten the material of the bag to the frame members.

The wires 18 are preferably made short enough to clear the bottom part 10, as this gives the wires the maximum play or flexibility, so that the bag is easily opened. This is possible as the length of wire to be bent is not excessive, and it is not stifily braced. The lower ends of the wires are permitted to move slightly as they are not held by the body of the lower portion 10 and are held, if at all, only by the upper edge of the bottom portion. This gives but little resistance to the spreading of the members 14 and 15, and the initial resistance is very little so that anybody will have no difiiculty in opening the bag to the position shown in Fig. 3. When open the bag is usually held open by the expedient of swinging the members 14 and 15 over the center of the hinge and thus the bag is held open. The open mouth of the bag is held in its elevated position by also press inward to keep the members 14 a and 15 over the center.

The bag when closed is held in shape at itstop part 11 by the wires 18, and the bottom. portion 10 is held outwardly pressed at the corners and thus more constantl in shape by the pressure of the wires 18.

short wires disposed'as they are, add no material weight to the bag a'nd'do not neces-,

sitate the use of any heavy bracing 01-. frame work of metal in the' bottom portion 10.

aving thus described my invention, I claim: a

A ba comprising a stiff lower part and a flexib e upper part, the side portions of said upper part projecting outwardly at thelr ends, and. the end portions of said upper part having their margins extending outwardly substantially parallel to the proectmg portions of said side portions and belng secured thereto to form substantially flat seam portions projecting outwardly endwise of the bag, and slender spring wires in The wire necessary is ver small in diametem said seam portions terminating at their and makes no appreclab e bulge or projection on the bag, so that the wear is not placed at the point where the wires are situated.

It will be evident that diflerent forms of I wire may be used, and the curvature of the' can be varied without departing from the wire to define the shape-of the top portion scope of my invention.

lower ends at substantially the .top of the stifi lower portion of the bag and secured at'their'upper ends to the bag frame and serving to reinforce and preserve the form of the upper part of thebag.

In testimony that I claim the foregoin I hereto set; my hand, this 22nd day of ay,

- WILLIAM H. SMITH. 

